somebody i used to know
by Cara Gracious
Summary: Casey McDonald ran away from a life due to the fears of unknown. however, the family she left behind was left to gather pieces by her sudden disappearance. Unexpectedly, the one left at his worse was her step brother Derek who she seemed to have hated. was there something more between them? why did she run? and tens years later now, will she come back? DASEY of course. HEA
1. prologue

**hi**

**the story does not take the episode surprises, Futuritis and Vacation with Derek into Account. Characters may be OCC but i'll d my best with them. this is my first LWD fic, please be gentle.**

**summary : Casey McDonald ran away from a life due to the fears of unknown. however, the family she left behind was left to gather pieces by her sudden disappearance. Unexpectedly, the one left at his worse was her step brother Derek who she seemed to have hated. was there something more between them? why did she run? and tens years later now, will she come back? DASEY of course. HEA, i promise.**

**Disclaimer : disclaimed**

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**Prologue**

Simon George McDonald- Venturi looked at the search page of the computer screen. By searching his name on Google about 2,700 results came about but none of them were particularly pointing to him. That really meant that his face book page was invisible, finally.

He quickly switched to the images option and was surprised to see that the top two rows of images were filled with images of some random people and next few with those of his (very famous) brother. How Google worked will always be a mystery to him. What caught his attention was the last picture in the seventh row. It looked like his picture but the person standing next to him in the image was surely not known to him. He clicked on the image and was directly transported to a profile on face book.

He open up the images (the profile seemed public) and sifted through the first 50 or so of the 700 images available. The boy (he realized it was definitely not him or photo-shopped) in the pictures had an extremely uncanny resembles to him. They might have been twins he realized if there was not an exact three month age gap. The boy too was a big 'Derek Venturi' fan it seemed. Sifting through a few more images, Simon came to the conclusion that he had found his doppelganger.

The ten year old jumped up in excitement and ran to his sister's room next door.

"Smarti" he shouted as he banged opened the door to her room.

"Simon" the girl chided. Her hairs which were partially dyed into different shades of purple were tied up in a messy bun and she was dressed in her sweats."I just put off Dauphine to sleep, can you please be a little less noisy".

"Sorry" he shouted whispered, "but you got to come with me, I found my doppelganger"

"What?" Marti said confused.

Simon gave a sigh that reminded Marti of someone she would rather not think about. "Just come with me" he said.

Marti looked at her (half) brother and then simply got up and followed the jumpy boy to his room.

"Look, Smarti" he said pointing to the computer screen.

Marti's gaze landed on the screen and she almost lost her balance.

"Oh my god" Marti mumbled under her breath.

"I know" the boy said excitedly.

Yes, the boy in the photo was an exact copy of her younger brother but what had surprised her was the woman who was standing next to him in the photo.

She looked at the photo of a Casey McDonald, a girl she had not seen in last ten years. Someone who did not even knew that Simon was _Simon._

She ran to the door and without a thought about the girl sleeping next door she shouted at the top of her voice "MOM".

There was a scrabble of feet and Nora's voice drifted from below the staircase. "Yes, Marti"

"Please come up, hurry up" Marti shouted her voice filled up with relief and excitement.

Nora hurried up the stairs; maybe something was wrong with Dauphine.

"Marti, is everything alright? Is it Daph" Nora voiced laced with worry.

Marti shook her head but before she could say a single word a voice rang from behind "mom I found my twin." Simon said

"What" Nora questioned confused looking at the screen her youngest son was pointing at and she too felt a bit breathless.

"His name is Steven, Steven George McDonald Venturi. He is Derek's fan. Look" Simon said, giddy with excitement.

The boy on the screen got Nora interest for a fleeting moment but she was entirely too focused on the image of her oldest daughter.

"Casey" she mumbled, tears escaping at the image of her.

"Who" Simon questioned confused and irritated by the fact that neither his sister nor mother was looking at _Steven._

"Uhh" Marti mumbled words escaping her.

"That is Casey, Sim" Nora said in an adoring and loving voice, "she is your sister" she continued. A tearful was smile upon her face.

"But that is Steven's mother" Simon said.

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**short chapters though i promise regular updates if you give me five reviews for each chapter.**

**thanks for reading, please review.**

**~ Cara**


	2. Chapter 1

**i promised, i am back thank you all who reviewed.**

**disclaimer- disclaimed**

**the story does not take the episode surprises, Futuritis and Vacation with Derek into Account. Characters may be OCC but i'll d my best with them. this is my first LWD fic, please be gentle.**

**summary : Casey McDonald ran away from a life due to the fears of unknown. however, the family she left behind was left to gather pieces by her sudden disappearance. Unexpectedly, the one left at his worse was her step brother Derek who she seemed to have hated. was there something more between them? why did she run? and tens years later now, will she come back? DASEY of course. HEA, i promise.**

**This is UnBetaed and English is not my first languages. All mistakes are mine.**

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**Chapter 1**

Nora sat on the bed in her room holding a worn out piece of paper. It could be seen that the paper- _letter, _had been read and folded a thousand times since it was too creased with time. The upper right edge of the page had been torn then taped back. It was yellowing and obviously seen better days.

The first time Nora had re-read the letter was the night when she and rest of her family had come back from queens- that had educated only Derek. The daughter that had accompanied him there for an education had disappeared – ran away in search of freedom, apparently. The first night had been in the basement, her former room. Now she sat in the room that had formerly been occupied by Derek. It was the parent's room now.

She had read it again and again that night, mulling over each word, asking herself what had gone wrong over the years that had compelled her daughter to sever all her ties to a family that had been such an integral part of her life. Lightly trailing her fingers over the words on the letter, Nora once again began to reading the letter that was so deeply engraved in her mind now that she could say the words without even looking at them.

_Mom_

_For the last four years I lived with you trying to live a life that gave you happiness. For the last eighteen years I have lived a life that I wholly dedicated t you. You told me that I should learn ballet at five, I did. I remember standing at the corner of the ballet room seeing you smile at me through the mirror. You were not happy with dad, I was seven, I understood that your relationship no longer worked. You wanted to get a job when I was nine; I knew it was my responsibility now to care after Lizzie. So I did. you were happy with George, so that's what I did. I lived the Venturis; I lived with Derek._

_I feel I have never lived my life, mom. I need to get out of her. The picture perfect image that I had created for myself is eating me up mom. I don't want to live my life. I am going mom ,to a place I would be known as Casey McDonald; not Nora's daughter or Lizzie's sister or even Derek's Stepsister. I have grown tired by called a daughter, a sister and especially a step sister. I don't want to be tied in these relationships mom. So I am leaving these relationships behind_

_I don't were I am going mom. So don't try to find me. I don't want to hurt you but I know I will by leaving you. So I am sorry and I promise that one day when I have enough strength to face you and confess to you about all the wrongs that I have committed, I'll come back._

_Take care of yourself, Lizzie, Marti, George, Edwin and the new baby and remember I love you. I love you all._

_Casey._

"Mom" there was a yell from down stairs. It was Marti, "dinner's ready"

Nora re-folded the letter then put it back inside her side table drawer, in-between a book that was a permanent fixture inside it. She sighed and joined the others on the dining table. George was unaware about the developments related to Casey. As they sat around the table eating Marti's special pasta and bread, the table was encompassed with an uneasy silence that George did best to ignore.

Simon had been in deep thoughts since the events of this afternoon. He had another sister? Where was she? Why was she not there with them? Was he the reason that she had left? Was that why no one ever talked about her in front of him? He remembered when the great Marti debacle had happened four years ago (Edwin had given that name), Lizzie had mentioned one _Casey_ and Nora had immediately rebuked her for talking about her in front of Simon.

"Dad" Simon said in a voice that was laced with inquisition and fear.

"Hmm" George muttered feeding himself another spoon of pasta.

"Do I have a sister called Casey" he questioned

George sputtered on his bite and quickly reached for a sip of his coke. He looked at Nora wide eyed. She looked eerily calm and it was she that replied, "Yes, honey, she is Lizzie's older sister, about six months younger then Derek. But can we talk about it after dinner"

Simon gave a little nod and started eating his dinner again.

Dauphine pulled at her mother's shirt and babbled in her high soprano like voice, her Venturi brown eyes sparkled with mischief. "Momma, do I have another Aunty then." She questioned.

"Yes, you do" Marti replied eating another fork full.

"Is she married to uncle Smerek?" she continued.

"Not yet, honey. Now eat your food don't you want to go play with sir Leo-a-lots." Marti replied

The girl frantically nodded her head and dug into her food like a true Venturi.

George looked at the exchange wide eyed. He did not know how to react while Nora remained passive.

"Nora, what happened while I was out?" he questioned his wife.

"Simon found his doppelganger on facebook. He is Casey's son" Nora replied still eerily calm.

"What?" George shouted.

"I bet Derek's too" Marti mumbled under her breath which did not escape George's ear. He looked at his daughter wide eyed.

"Oh! That reminds me Mom, I sent Steven a friend request and he accepted." Simon said under George's outburst. "Can I go to meet him mom, he is going to be at Derek's game next weekend." He continued.

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**five reviews to next update, i promise.**

**please do leave a review. **

**thanks for reading**

**~Cara**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Disclaimed.**

**thanks for the reviews, you guys rock. this is not beta-ed so all mistakes are mine. you with out much further ado, i present chapter 2. it's a marti background chapter. enjoy.**

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Chapter 2

Marti lay in her bed as she put off dauphine to sleep. The little girl refused to sleep in her own (Lizzie's former room) as she was afraid of the monster in her closet (she almost killed Derek because of that. He had thought it would be nice to trouble his sister.) A small smile graced her features. Marti had finally found her older sister. Lizzie was always a tomboy and she never could fulfill Casey's place. Marti always felt the loss that Casey left behind; she had especially missed her when four years her boyfriend had ran away with his tail tucked between his legs when Marti had told him she was pregnant. She was left alone to confront the world.

_Marti had been really scared; she had gone all the way with her boyfriend, Fred on the Valentine's Day. She was a senior with her eyes set on an art degree from queens and now she was late, late-late.__She had decided to meet Fred at smellie Nelly's and tell him about it. She had been waiting for Fred for fifteen minutes now in a booth and he was__late as always.__Marti__sighed and texted him._

_"I'm outside, parking" He texted back.__  
_

_Marti sighed for what seemed the thousandth time as a five foot ten blond walked in and slide in the opposite seat._

_"What is it, Marti. I had a hockey practice that I just missed. What is the problem? is Derek finally home? Will he finally meet me?"_

_Marti thought it would be to break the news, like a band aid was ripped off; "Fred, I think I'm pregnant" Marti said_

_"What?" He exclaimed, "You are cheating me. I used protection. I knew you were just using me to get the bad girl image in school. You freaking slut" he shouted at the top of his voice drawing attention of the occupants of the two other busy tables. he stood up and started to walk away._

_"Freddy, please listen to me. It's yours. Please wait. Listen to me." Marti begged tears filling her eyes_

_He turned around and looked at her as if she was a piece of trash. "No, you listen; keep your freak of nature of kid to yourself. He is not mine. Go run to your other boyfriend and everything's_ _over"_

_Marti sat on Derek's old recliner staring off in space. She was bought out her reverie by Nora's shaking._

_"Marti what happened? Are you all right i have been calling you for ten minutes? When did you come back? How was your date with Freddy?"Nora bombarded her with questions.__"He dumped me" Marti mumbled__"oh, honey. What happened?" Nora questioned in a mothering voice.__"Valentine's day... Car...dates. I don't know" Marti exclaimed in broken voice, her. Nora looked at the girl she considered her daughter and caught her into a hug. She almost carried the girl to the couch and Marti obliged. __"Honey, everything will be okay." Nora said holding her tighter, understanding the teenager fully. She knew it was the first heart break that hurt the most. Marti broke down in Nora's arms and held on to the woman she considered her mother for her life. Nora remember Casey breaking down in the same room almost nine years ago when she broke up with her then boyfriend, Truman._

_About twenty minutes later Marti pushed herself from her step-mother's arms and took a deep breath_.

"_Mom" Marti said, taking another settling breath she continued "Nora, I think I am pregnant"_

_Nora stared at the girl for a few seconds "are you sure honey" Nora questioned. She knew Marti was a young woman, she knew she was teenager….sex was as much as a part of their life as studies."Did you take a test honey?" she asked._

_Marti shook her head and cried out in a voice that was shaking and full of fear "I was too afraid to do so. Nora I am so worried. What if it is positive? I am just seventeen. I can barely take care of myself. How will I take care of a baby alone? Fred refused the baby." Her tears once again ran free and Nora was quick enough to take the girl into her arms once again. Nora comforted her and hugged her into her arms, she remembered she was no different than the seven year old she once was; hiding under the table refusing to come out. _

"_it's okay honey, I am here. We all are" Nora murmured deciding against asking about Fred at the moment, there was a task that she had to take care of before doing that. "Baby, let me go off to buy a test first" she whispered into Marti's hair. _

"_Don't leave me now" Marti whispered tighten her arms around Nora, "please"._

_Nora nodded at the girl in her arms and then picked up her cell phone lying on the table. Marti knew Nora had called someone but she did not know who it was. She desperately wanted her sisters right now. She did not know how her father or her brothers; all three of them would react to this news. Marti lay shivering and crying in Nora's arms until twenty minutes later a flustered and wide eyed Lizzie followed by a constipated looking Edwin arrived. They were here for the long weekend that came due to the holidays. Clearly both of them did not know who the test was for and Nora did not know that both of them had been together._

"_Mom is everything okay?" Lizzie muttered handing her a plastic bag. Nora nodded and then gave a pointed look at the girl in her arms who was still sobbing. Lizzie never had been in such a situation. Her boyfriend had refused to have sex with her until they were under the parent's roof and as soon as she was capable of buying a pill, she had brought one. she had very active sex life now but a protected one._

"_What the hell?" Edwin voiced out and Marti further shrank into Nora's arms. Lizzie gave him a pointed look after seeing Marti's reaction and Edwin immediately sat down on the recliner._

"_Marti, Honey" Nora whispered to the girl in her arms "I need you to take this test". Marti looked at her wide eyed, then nodded once. She took the bag got up from the couch and took a tissue from the box on table (that Nora had got) to clean the traces of tears._

"_Will you wait for me outside" Marti asked Nora. Nora gave her a smile and nodded. Marti looked at Lizzie and questioned her "you too? Please" _

"_Sure" Lizzie murmured a little awkwardly._

_Five minutes later Nora and Lizzie waited outside the bathroom for Marti to finish. A six year old Simon ventured out of his room. He had just woken up from a nap and he ran to his mother as soon as he saw her. He became attached to her legs instantly. Nora nervously started playing with his hair, she did not realize that she was doing it._

_A flustered looking Marti emerged from the bathroom holding the stick in her hand. "What happened" Nora questioned at the same time Lizzie let out a gasp. Marti looked at Lizzie oddly for a second and then told them "we have to wait for three minutes. I have set a timer on my mobile" Nora nodded but Lizzie seemed shocked, still._

"_I saw something like that" Lizzie murmured. Both Marti and Nora looked at her questioningly. "I saw it in Casey's dorm room" the very memory of that had been imprinted into Lizzie's mind. It was the last day she had had any contact with her sister. The very room and everything in her room had impacted Lizzie as she had been one of those who had collected the things Casey had left behind. That thing, stick had been the only thing lying in the wastebasket in the bathroom of Casey's dorm. Though Lizzie had ignored it for the most part, it was seemed her sub conscious still had remembered it._

_Nora and Marti looked at Lizzie wide eyed in a surprise. Marti's tear once again threatened to fall. She missed her older sister._

"_Who is Casey?" Simon questioned. Nora looked at her youngest and a sudden anger rose within her. Casey was a forbidden topic and that was a question that she had always feared._

"_Why don't you go play outside, Simon" Nora told him and then proceeded to chide Lizzie "Lizzie, why did you say that in front as Simon" but before she could say anything else the timer on Marti's phone went off and both of them looked at her._

"_It's positive" Marti whispered tears falling from her eyes._

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Marti laughed at the memory. she had never regretted her daughter and those tears at the end were full of relief and strangely happiness.

Marti had not feared George as much as she had feared telling the news to Derek. She remembered George's words, they seemed funny now. "_I had expected Derek to get a girl pregnant when he was teenager, not you. I am surprised he hasn't yet"_

Marti smiled at those words and picked up the phone. It was time to tell the news to someone. It rang for few minutes and was picked up by someone with a gruff voice, defiantly not someone she expected, that much.

"Hello" the voice said.

"Hey Edwin, Can you put on Lizzie. It's her phone" Marti said.

"Shit" Edwin cursed and a few moments later Lizzie came on. Marti knew that both of them were together but the parents did not. She could always guess such things.

"Hey Marti" Lizzie answered in a flustered voice.

"Hi Lizzie. You know we should all totally go the Derek's game next weekend" Marti replied.

"Why?" Lizzie questioned

"Well it's the perfect opportunity for you to announce your wedding to Dad and Nora"

"What? How" Lizzie questioned unable to form the complete sentence.

"Well I noticed the skin discolorations on both of yours ring fingers the last time you came around. I guessed" Marti replied.

"Why" Lizzie asked.

"We found Casey and when we tell it to Derek it would be also the best time for you two to come out of the closet" Marti replied a bit cryptically.

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**tell me how was it, i especially enjoyed the end. let me know how you felt about it.**

**leave five reviews for an update.**

**we meet Lizzie and Edwin in the next chapter. **

**loads of love**

**~Cara**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Disclaimed.**

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**Chapter 3**

Lizzie snuggled into her husband's chest after a day at work. She had gone into law and had become an environment lawyer like her step father/ father in law. She had married her boyfriend three months ago in Vegas. Their relationship had gradually developed from best friend to boyfriend over the course of her junior high school. With Casey severing all her ties to the family, Lizzie had lost not only her sister but also her role model. At fifteen Lizzie had known that both she and Casey were peas from two different pods. Casey had dance, while, Lizzie had sports. Casey had books while Lizzie had her tae-kwon-do. Casey was a girlie girl while Lizzie was a tomboy. Casey had been potential girlfriend for all the guys at the school while Lizzie was one of the boys. Yet Casey was some one that had paved a lot of paths in Lizzie's life. Casey had been perfect; Perfect daughter, perfect sister (even to Marti), perfect friend and perfect student while she was just Lizzie. Casey was pretty, benevolent, hard working, reliable and kind. Lizzie was bold, courageous, outgoing, exuberant and kind. This was what she had in common with her sister; both shared the same selfless nature. Casey cared about the people around her, Lizzie cared about the environment. It was just that their way of expression was different.

With her mother's marriage to George, Casey was not the only one who had suffered but Lizzie had learned from Casey to see where the other's happiness lay. She had seen her mother happy with George so she had accepted the relationship. Casey rebelling against it was something Lizzie had put to been a teenager. Lizzie was young she could adjust. But it had been more than she thought.

The room aside, Lizzie was suddenly the middle child. She had always been the youngest. She had been spoilt to a certain extent. Nora had always given into her demands however small they had been but this drastically changed. All the attention now was on Marti. Casey had been there to guide her at her every step, now she was too caught up fighting for control with Derek. Suddenly she had felt that she had no place to go. Lizzie looked at her husband who lay asleep; his one hand tangled in Lizzie's shoulder length hair and other at her waist and smiled snuggling down some more then pulling aside to her side of the bed. She kissed him silently on his head once like an overgrown child he was. She had found another guide then, Edwin Venturi, her best friend, her husband.

It had been three months ago that Edwin had been offered a new position as the head accountant in one of the prestigious companies in Toronto and he had accepted it. He had been on cloud nine and the only damper on his happiness was that he could either share the day with his girlfriend or his family where his girlfriend was his step sister. Edwin had tried to see Lizzie as a younger sister like Marti. But she was not Marti, she was someone that was entirely too perceptive of what Edwin had been going through. Always the middle child he had been always ignored yet included in everything. Derek had always been close to Marti but Edwin had always worshipped the ground he had walked on. In his hero worship he had ignored all the faults that Derek had made; following his orders like a bad habit. But when the McDonalds had entered the male dominated arena, there had been tremendous changes. One of them was that Edwin was finally able to see Derek as a human and not like the Greek god Zeus. His world did not come crashing down , just because he had a partner in crime, Lizzie.

They were best friends and as he had entered the domain called high school, he was thankful he had one person who would always be with him. Unlike Derek who did not have the opportunity to see Casey as such a companion, Edwin was fully aware about this fact. Yes, they had copied each other's homework but when the exams loomed over their heads, they studied together and helped each other. He did not care about his reputation because even though he was the class prankster and Lizzie the captain of girl's soccer team, it really did not matter to them that they did not rule the school. They were just two best friends. And Casey's absence had brought Lizzie closer to him.

Lizzie was now not under pressure to be a girlie girl. She could be herself and it had been during the sophomore year before one of Lizzie's matches when they had kissed and rest is history. Lizzie had wanted a distraction, something that made her forget the match that was on the next day. After trying a whole bunch of games and trying to watch the whole movie including an extremely sappy one, Edwin had kissed her just to stop her Casey-like panic attack. Lizzie had not only panicked about the kiss for two whole hours and then spent the next three making out with him. She had won the game and he a girlfriend. They had been together since then.

So when after getting the job, Edwin had suggested they come clean to the family. Lizzie had panicked and just to stop her from panicking, Edwin had flown her to Vegas and married her telling her that now irrespective of what their parents wanted they could not separate them.

With Marti's call a few hours ago, Lizzie decided that maybe this would be the perfect opportunity for them to come clean. She picked up her cell phone and sent two texts.

_We are in_

_Marti, time 1:23 Friday 13 June_

_Edwin and I will come to watch the game next weekend. Book two tickets _

_Derek time 1:25 Friday 13 June_

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**The last lines in italics are the texts that Lizzie sends. Next chapter….wait for it…DEREK. I am already half way through hopefully I'll update by Friday. **

**~Cara**

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**Recs**

**Try the assignment by SEZCPL**

**And What happened in Vegas by ****Mac****-alicious**


	5. Chapter 4

"Didn't you just call for five tickets" the voice from the phone said. It was nasal and frankly it caused a ringing in his already dead beat brain.

"Yes, but now I want seven" Derek replied

"Fine, seven it is" the voice replied.

"Thank you" Derek replied and clicked the end button on the keypad of his blackberry. He certainly loved his family but coming for a practice game at a weekend was unexpected. Simon and Dauphine were okay and expectable; maybe but all of them was a little unanticipated. They were up to something and he had to figure it out. Derek rubbed his temples throwing away the only beer bottle that he was allowed to have, he pulled himself up from the couch and decided it was time for bed.

Stepping out of the shower area, he tied a towel at his waist and took another from the heating rod to dry his hair so that the little droplets of water would stop running down his neck. They irritated him standing in front of the basin he swiped his hand once against the mirror to clear out the steam so he could brush his teeth. He grinned at the thought teenage Derek would have never brushed his teeth before going to bed and Casey…. Casey would be proud. He sighed and continued his before bed routine. Ten minutes later he was in his bed staring at the ceiling like always.

He had come a long way from the teenager he once was. He was in the bed at ten because he had to reach the rink by six. He would be up by five. He had limited his junk food and all he had was healthy home cooked meal that his cook made to stay in shape. His gym instructor and couch were like soldier trainers and to stay in the team he had to do all this. A sixteen year old Derek would have cut his arm off before eating a tomato and pineapple salad with Italian dressing and frankly today it was one of his favorite foods. Casey would be proud.

Ten years! It had been ten **freaking** years since he had last seen her in the college quad. It had been a glimpse and she had looked healthy but her eyes were still overshadowed with the perpetual separation between them. She had demanded absolutely no contact with him when they had reached Queens. So for three weeks he had not even seen her and then she was gone.

It was the prom night of the senior year and Casey had been dateless. Derek had asked Emily out but just as he had worn in his tux she rang in shouting his ears off that Sheldon had come to surprise her and take her to the prom. In the end Derek had gone with Casey who had rebuked Truman repeatedly and finally he had to step in to tell him off.

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"_Please Casey, it was not me who kissed Victoria; it was the other way around. She kissed me. Just give me one dance" Truman pleaded._

"_You kissed back, so no." Casey replied_

_He grabbed her arm with force. Casey realized that the grip was painfully. She looked around, Derek was dancing with Kendra- as friend and Emily and Sheldon were lost in their own bubble. She could not burst it. Even Sam or Max or Noel or even Amy was not in her line of vision. She almost panicked when Truman tried to drag her down to the dance floor taking her silence as a positive reply._

"_Truman" she whispered but was promptly ignored. She repeated in a louder voice "leave me" she said and pulled her arm back and due to sudden force she bumped into the person behind her who was holding a drink which promptly fell onto her dress soaking her back. The sudden coldness of the drink stung her back and she involuntary shivered and let out a strangled moaned. The boy behind her demand out loud what the hell she was doing while he grabbed her and spun her around. Truman pulled her then suddenly let her go and the impact left her felling a bit disorientated in the balance department promptly making her fall. A small crowd has gathered around her and many students had stopped dancing to look at the drama that could unfold. Holding back the tears of pain and humiliation, Casey got up, carrying her head high, she mumbled an apology to the boy she had bumped into; she looked at Truman with almost disdain and hatred that she often put up with the name of certain someone who was referred as her step brother and left the gym._

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"_Derek" a thick male voice called from behind the dancing boy who was almost enjoying the bit of grinding with his ex girlfriend. He was still a teenage boy. The voice broke him out of his reverie and Derek turned to look at the caller. "Frid….Ryan, what can I help you with" he said with smugness in his voice._

"_it seems like your lil sister needs you" The fridge said. _

"_Marti?" He questioned puzzled_

"_Umm…Casey." The boy replied_

_Derek looked at him questioningly_

"_Truman was kind of rough on her and then she had a little accident" he replied_

"_Why are…" Derek began to question him but was cut off by him_

"_I maybe an ass but I cannot see a girl been mistreated by a man and I kinda look up to her after she stood up to me" he said thinking about his father and mother, the reason why he started bullying. However after the incident with Casey he realized what he was doing was wrong and went to Paul for help. He kind of idolized Casey for been brave up to stand up to him for someone else, something his mother had never then._

_Derek nodded once and sprinted out of the gym to look for the girl._

* * *

_Derek saw Casey coming out of the girl toilet next to the gym. Her eyes were rimmed red and almost all the traces of her meticulously put makeup gone. "Hey are you all right" he questioned._

_Casey looked at him with surprise and nodded once. "We can leave if you want" he said. _

_She shook her head. She cleared her throat and said in a voice that seemed right on edge of cracking "I'm fine. You can go and enjoy the dance. I'll just go home." She crossed him and started to walk towards the doors of the school. _

_Derek turned to look at the retreating figure and noticed that the dress seemed soaked and was clinging to her like a second skin. He sighed and ran after her. Pulling her hand into his he stopped her. "I'll go with you" he said. She opened her mouth as to retort but decided to shut up. She needed to get home and it was only once in a while that Derek seemed to help her. She nodded as she found herself incapable of using her voice without breaking into tears. She was hanging by the edge. _

_Derek pulled her to the exit but soon he noticed that she was covered in Goosebumps and her other hand was rubbing her bare arm to produce some warmth. Derek almost sighed and changed the course of his path dragging her along. _

"_Where…" she tried to questioned but was cut off by him._

"_Just wait "he replied._

_Few minutes later they stood in front of Derek's locker which Derek had promptly opened on their arrival. He rummaged through his messy locker and took out a bag… from the dry cleaners. "Here" he said._

_Casey looked at the bag and then slowly took its content out. She could not help but crack a smile when she looked at what he was holding. An orange colored orangutan t-shirt still packed in a plastic bag. She looked at the boy standing in front of her._

"_I had it dry cleaned by some kid when you wore it. I forgot to take it home. It has been sitting in my locker since then and yes I know I should have cleared my locker but I just wanted bug the principal." _

_Casey nodded and then promptly walked into the girl's toilet at the end of the hall. A few minutes later Casey emerged from the toilet and all the air rushed out of Derek body._

_There she stood in the orange t shirt and held the bag in her hand which Derek figured held the wet dress. The shirt covered almost as much as the dress ending at her mid thigh. Derek gaze shifted to her lean legs which seemed longer somehow…the heels she was wearing. Casey tugged at the hem of the shirt making the shirt fall down from one of her shoulders. "It is going to be an interesting night" Derek thought._

"_Can we please go…before someone sees me" Casey squeaked, her cheeks burning a bright red. Derek gulped and nodded._

* * *

And it had been a night that could was nothing less than interesting, the night that started it all. Something he could never forget.

The twenty nine year old man shook his head as if to clear his head and closed his eyes willing the sleep to come to him.

* * *

the chapter wrote itself. what do ya think of Derek. leave a review. next chap- we will continue with Derek's little flashback


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